Schneiderman mum on Moreland-investigation questions

GUILDERLAND—Attorney General Eric Schneiderman declined to comment on a subpoena reportedly sent by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in reference to the work of the recently disbanded Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption.

Cuomo has acknowledged he and his aides advised commissioners as they deliberated and records show Cuomo met personally with its co-chairs as they contemplated the issuance of subpoenas. The commission was disbanded last month after state legislators agreed to tweak the bribery statute, create a new class of public corruption offenses and enact a pilot program of public campaign finance.

Bharara, it seems, is also examining the commission's processes. When asked last month, he suggested his inquiry may also focus how the Cuomo administration was involved, something Cuomo last week said was within his rights, because he created the commission.

Schneiderman, who is also a Democrat, joined the governor over the summer in announcing the “extraordinarily important endeavor” that “should be a major force for restoring public confidence.” The 25 commission members included legal experts, advocates and district attorneys, all of whom were deputized by Schneiderman. The commission did not have separately authorized spending authority, but Schneiderman assigned some of his best staff people to work on its affairs. He would not say if he was consulted about its demise.

“I'm not going to comment on this,” Schneiderman said after an announcement about overdose prevention in this Albany suburb. “I can't comment on investigations arising out of the Moreland Commission whether they're being conducted by my office or other prosecutors.”

Until last month, Schneiderman's office was fighting to affirm Moreland Commission subpoenas to over a dozen firms that employ state lawmakers in side jobs. As a result of Cuomo's deal, those subpoenas were dropped.

Schneiderman did not elaborate on this decision (“What do you think?” He asked reporters in a parking lot) and also suggested he didn't have much to do with the Moreland Commission once it was appointed.

“I deputized [commissioners] as special deputies so they would have authority to look into branches of government other than the executive branch, but the commissioners—none of them were employees of my office,” he said. “None of the staff that was hired was hired by my office. The only people we had around were folks who had full time jobs who were detailed to help the commission, and whatever directions there were for them to take action—they were directed to stand down, essentially, on the subpoenas—and that's it.”